John a



(No Model.)

' J. A. KURTZ.

. SEAL LOCK.

No. 417,568. Patented Dec. 17', 1889.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. KURTZ, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES R.

MOCLELLAND, OF SAME PLACE, AND ALBERT PANTZER AND H. H. SCHULTE, BOTH OF GLENFIELD, PENNSYLVANIA.

S EAL LO C K SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,568, dated December 17, 1889.

Application filed August 22, 1889. Serial No. 321,673. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. KURTZ, of A1- legheny, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Seal-Locks, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. 1

The object of my invention is a seal-lock for use of railroads-that is, on freight-cars, for .use of the United States mail-service, or such other purposes to which it is applicable.

I am aware that it is not new to provide a seal-lock with. a rotary cylinder having an cecentric groove and fitted in a chamberin one end of a bow or shackle, the inner surface of the chamber being corrugated or roughened, said cylinder being limited to turn in one direction by means of gravity-pins, which are fitted in the cam-groove of said cylinder and adapted to bind in said groove and against the roughened surface of the cylinder, and such construction I therefore disclaim.

My improvement consists of a spring-actuated locking-pin seated in a recess at right angles to the axis of the rotary cylinder and normally projected into thepath of an abrupt shoulder formed by a cam-groove on the periphery of the cylinder, said locking-pin being concealed at all times and protected from the Weather by the rotary cylinder, which fits snugly in the chamber formed in the shackle or bow.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows one of my looks with all its parts in place. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view in elevation of a part of the shackle or bow and the frangible seal-plate, showing the positions of said parts when they are adjusted for use. -Fig. 3is a view of the grooved cylinder, showing the handle B. Fig. 4 is the frangible seal-plate, and Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the part B.

A is the shackle or bow of my improved seal-lock, which comprises the two wings act, the wing a being provided with a transverse mortise for the reception of the tenoned end of the frangible seal-plate A, while the other .lOClC is the design of my invention.

wing a is formed with an eye or loop a to receive a chain or other suitable fastening, and with a cylindrical chamber B. This .chamber is reamed out, so as to admit the cylinder b. This cylinder has a groove b cam-shaped, forming the shoulder b 1) is a pin, and b is a spring. This pin is placed in a recess in the wing a, bored out for the purpose. The spring 13 is first placed in this recess, and then the pin b is put therein. Then when the cylinder b-is put into its place in the chamber 13 this pin 1) springs into the groove 11 It will be seen that this cylinder (9, with the pin 1) in the groove, can be made to revolve continually only one way, for if it is attempted to reverse it the pin soon stops against the shoulder b When the frangible seal-plate A is in place, as seen in Fig. 1, the tenoned end a will be in the mortise prepared for it, and the forked end a will be placed between the side of the cylinder 19 and the handleB at b Then as the handle is turned round till it stops at the post a the pin b falls into or stops at the shoulder b and hence the arm B can move neither way, as it is prevented from turning one way by the post a and the other way by the shoulder b and as the frangible sealplate A is thus locked into position or place and cannot be taken out by any manipulation of the lock it will be necessary to break it, (the frangible seal-plate A.) This breaking of the frangible seal-plate A to open the These frangible seal-plates A will be made of iron of sufficient brittleness to be broken by a moderate blow. They are only intended to be used once; but, being made very cheaply, this is not much of an objection.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

As an improvement in seal-locks, a shackle or bow having a chamber formed in one arm thereof, the inner surface of which is smooth, a rotary cylinder fitted snugly in said chamber and adapted to turn freely therein, and having a peripheral -cam-groove which terminates in an abrupt shoulder, and a springactuated locking-pin b, seated in a recess b formed in the shackle or how at right angles Having thus described and claimed the above as and for my own invention, I hereto to the axis of the cylinder, said pin being set my hand in presence of two witnesses. normally projected toward the cylinder and in the path of the abrupt shoulder thereon,

for the purpose described, substantially as set forth.

JOHN A. KUR'IZ. Witnesses:

JOHN H. CRATTY, WM. ANDERSON. 

